South Sudan security arrest lawmakers in Eastern Lakes state
August 16, 2017 (JUBA) – South Sudan security service arrested three legislators in Eastern Lakes state despite their parliamentary immunity which requests a consent of the regional legislative chamber.
It was not immediately clear who ordered the arrest or what prompted the government agents to arrest the lawmakers without seeking authority to lift the immunity.
Several legislators and relatives told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday that Marial Amuom, head of the parliamentary committee responsible for information and two other colleagues in the name of Ater Telar and Madeu Angong Nek have been arrested.
“I just want to let you know that Honourable Marial Amuom and two other members of parliament have been arrested today by the security personnel. We don’t who is behind the arrest but we suspect that this is a politically motivated action,” a relative of the arrested legislators said in a telephone call from Yirol state the capital of Eastern Lakes State.
He went further to say they “heard that the governor Bor Philip Wutchok Bor had ordered the security to make this arrest. We don’t the cause. But the security personnel told us they were acting on directives”.
In a separate interview, another legislator said he was surprised the arrest was made without lifting the immunity of the MPs by the parliament before to be prosecuted as stipulated in the Constitution.
The transitional constitution of South Sudan stipulates that no criminal proceedings or charges shall be initiated or undertaken against any legislator without permission from the speaker of parliament in the event of a serious crime.
The families of the arrested MPs claim that their relatives had been mistreated and taken to an unknown location by the national security agents operating in the state.
Eastern Lakes State Minister of Information and Communication Abraham Majok Makur declined to respond when asked by media members about the detention of three MPs.
(ST)